Shotlist

Points out that gossip reflects the lack of respect for words. Describes the harm which gossip can do.
Ken Smith notes: Despite its potential for gloom and doom this is a surprisingly upbeat film, at least for a Sid Davis production. It tells the story of Jean Gage, a "wonderful girl" whose life is nearly destroyed by "malicious gossip." Jack Monroe, "the most popular boy in school" (and Marion High's "resident Casanova") takes Jean out on a date (they see Jungle Girl) and then insists on a little good night smooch in his convertible. Jack was "confident that no girl could resist him," the narrator informs us. "His popularity had gone to his head." Jean gives Jack a well-deserved slap and storms off, wounding Jack's manly pride. "He'd have to get even," the narrator tells us, matter-of-factly.
The next morning, Jack begins spreading wild tales of his romantic evening with Jean. Marion High's indigenous gossips latch on to the juicy news and spread it around. "By the end of the day, the deed was done," the narrator intones. "Jean's reputation was ruined." (why everyone so readily believes "Casanova" Jack instead of "wonderful" Jean is not explained.)
Blissfully ignorant, Jean is unaware that her world is crumbling until she is "blackballed" by the Girls Club. "They didn't want her kind of girl in their club," the narrator explains. Jean is in tears by this point, but Sid Davis doesn't punish her any more because she isn't at fault. She tells her school principal her story, the principal forces Jack to tell the truth, and -- just as quickly as everyone condemned Jean -- everyone instantly loves her again.
Marion High must have been a very weird place to go to school.
Some under-cranked cinematography of girls gossiping. Watch for the signature Sid Davis screaming newspaper headline; in this film it's Dust Of Death H-Bomb Hinted.

parrot; Closeups of people's mouth's talking directly to someone's ears. Other closeups of talking. Girl crying on her bed. Statue of 3 monkeys: hear no evil, so no evil, speak no evil. Then pictures of teenagers in the same poses.

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